Paterson privatizes substitute teaching jobs

The city’s school district awarded a contract on Wednesday night to outsource substitute teaching jobs.

School board members approved a $6.95 million contract for Marlton-based Insight Workforce Solutions.

The outsourcing impacts approximately 650 substitutes. All of the district’s current substitute teachers will be absorbed by the outsourcing firm, according to district officials.

“I want to make sure our people are taken care of. Most of the subs in this district are people who live in this community,” said school board president Christopher Irving. He wants a “seamless” transition for substitute teachers.

Irving also requested a presentation from the vendor in September.

Substitutes teachers will continue to make $110 per day. Outsourcing will produce a cost savings of $650,000 for the cash-starved school system, according to the district.

Hodges thought it a bad idea to outsource the jobs. He said the company will hire the local subs now, but that may change in the future. The contract is for the 2017-18 school year, according to the approved resolution.

“When we privatized custodians the population changed,” said Hodges on Thursday morning. There have been talks since 2013 to outsource substitute teaching jobs.